Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-06-03
THE SITUATION.
The debt question is again open
- 4 -. H. ..oo,oIo of VIRGINIA

ed upon the people Oh virginia
1t had been permanently settled |
in 1882, by the Readjuster party, !
upon ba il so firm that, the Sn-
premr Court of the United States
declared that before the coupon
could be received tor taxes, 10y
treasurers, the coupon must be
proved to be genuine. This pro
ceeding attended with so much de-
lay and expense, to the coupon
holder that he preferred to pay his
taxes IN money, than incur the ex'
pense and delay.
The people had repose from the
debt agitation, confidence IN our
state finances was being restored,
capital was finding Its way to Vlr-
GINA, and our lands and property
we're fast bringing us plenty OF
money. Our people were happy,
and contented under the Readjus-
ter or Republican rule, and pros
perity smiled in all of our borders.
In 1884, by fraud, and cheat, the
Democratic party usurped power,
and seized the state affairs, and
possessed the General Assembly.
The latter achievement was accom-
plished, by the Democratic party,
expelling and unseating about six
teen Republican members OF the
Senate and House of Delegates,
and. this done, this fraudulent ma
iority began a carnival of wrong
Unprecedented on this continent.
Even Louisiana and South Car.
lima, in all of their confessed fraud
never attained the height and ex-
tent of fraud practiced by the Vir'
GINA Democrats. Members duly
elected by large Republican major
tiles, in large Republican counties
we're turned out of the Legislature,
and Democratic impOsters and
usurpers seated in their places
When they had thus entrenched
themselves by this glazing fraud on
the people, the Democrats felt 1t
encumbent on them to undo all that
the Readjusters and Republicans
had done, and they proceeded to
assault the legislation of the Re
publican party. They did not wish
that the Republican party should
have the credit of settling the debt,
and thus be endorsed to the people.
Oh no ! 1t would not do to let alone
what the preceding Republican
Legislature had done, 1t would have
killed the prospects of Democracy,
| if the Republicans could get the
credit of taking out of politics the
debt question, and thus build up
the finances OF the state. So they
became marplots, and destruction
| lists and went to work to pull down
the settlement the Republicans had
made. Like Samson, in the TEN.
pie of Dagon, they would seize with
their strong arms the very pillars
of the temple and pull them down,
and crush all within.
Such was the envy, jealousy and
ambition of the Bourbon Demo
cratic party.
! And now see the result they re
pealed, in effect the coupon-killers
that had kept coupons ont OF the
treasury, and which, as stated, had
been declared Constitutional, and
they passed a series of laws that re
pudiated the coupOn-ran in con
fict with the Constitution, and
even openly defed the clearly ex'
pressed opinions of the courts
They SAID that the Supreme Court
OF the United States could not die
tate to the Bourbon Democratic
party of Virginia, and forgetting
the results of the late war, they set
up the clamor of states rights
They employed Ran. Tucker, a mad
cap.Secessionist and states rights
lawyer to take the place OF thelI
Attorney.General, Mr.. Ayers, and
to argue the coupon cases in the
United States Courts. But Attor
ney. General Tucker, could not per
suade the Federal Courts that the
doctrine of states rights was still
alive, and they decided in favor OIL
the bondholders. Then the Demo
Gratis call a Leglslature-how many
did they hold. So many that We
must stop now to count.
Well they have held six 90 SEES
sions, including regular, extra and
extended sessions, that cost on an
average 100000 each, or s3GO,OOC
to the people, and finally at the
present Observation-Disclosures
ira session, they confessed that they
could not settle the debt, and asked
for a compromise with the bond
holders.
The bondholders sent Sir Edward
Thornton, a skilled English diplo
matist over to Richmond from Lon
don, and he met a Committee OF the
Senate and House, all Democrats
not a single Republican was put Oh
the Committee, for Wickham is moi
a Republican. He voted for Fitz
Lee, votes with Democrats, and has
done so since 1879. No. Wickhan
is a wolf in Sleeps clothing and
under the name of Republican he
seeks to help his Democratic friends
Well the Committee all being Dem
ocrats met the English Committee
and it was farce. Look at its com
position, Parson Massey, Senators
Rhea and Stubs, regulators; Fag
CART and "Little" Charley Stuart
speaker and last dollar men. While
Wickham had at one time been one
of the 1897 who wanted to pay for
ty.five millions to the creditors anC
is now a Democratic Reputation
They met and Sir Edward Thornton
called for the books of the Auditor
Office, which we're shown him, be
copied them, got all the figures
and now says Auditor Marye has
been making false reports as to oul
revenues and expenses. He arms
himself with the information, says
/ will not accept your proposition
and the Bourbon Committee vii
not accept his. So the matter o
settlement fails. Virginia is expos
ed and disgraced by Democratic
stupidity and now the English peo'
pie are laughing in their sleeves al
the way in which they have fooled
| the Committee-got all their points
, ond mn noun hattar hOht VirOinis